Thank you, Mr President,
We wish to make an explanation of vote on draft resolution L.35.
The UK fully recognises that the human rights situation in Gaza and the West Bank remains dire. Civilians continue to suffer at an unacceptable scale.
The deregistration and closure of international NGOs risks cutting off life-saving assistance. The work of UNRWA to ensure that Palestinians have access to education and healthcare must be protected. Humanitarian assistance must be able to enter safely, rapidly and at scale.
The UK remains firmly committed to accountability for violations and abuses of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, wherever they occur. We welcome language condemning the targeting of civilians, including on 7 October 2023. However, we regret that the resolution does not call for accountability for all victims. All victims and their families deserve justice.
The UK thanks the OIC for presenting this resolution under agenda item 2, which is an appropriate framework for addressing country situations in a consistent and non-selective manner. We have engaged constructively on this text, and we appreciate the cooperative approach to negotiations taken by the OIC and the delegation of the State of Palestine.
We are grateful that some of our comments were incorporated. However, the UK continues to have concerns about how the draft resolution reflects the advisory opinions and provisional measures of the International Court of Justice. The UK fully respects the independence and authority of the ICJ and takes its advisory opinions seriously; with the rigour and consideration they deserve. We therefore believe it is essential that references to the ICJ accurately reflect the Court’s findings. We are unable to support language that goes beyond what the Court itself has determined or implies legal conclusions that are proper for judicial determination.
For these reasons, the UK will call a vote and abstain.
We will continue to work with partners to improve the human rights situation, ease humanitarian suffering and support a credible political horizon for the Palestinian people and to ensure a secure Israel. Phase II of the 20 Point Plan must be implemented quickly to help lay the foundations for this.